Improvement in self-braking lowering and hoisting apparatus



. Sew-Braking Lowwing, and Hoisting Apparatus.

142,017. 7 I Patented August19,1873..

ivrrnn S'rA'rEs WALTER HART, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SELF-BRAKING LOWERING AND HOISTING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,017, dated August 19, 1873 application filed July 11, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, WALTER HART, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented a Self- Braking Hoisting and Lowering Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification:

The object of my invention isto prevent accidents in raising and lowering boats and other objects by causing the weight of the load to constantly and automatically apply a brake to the draft rope or ropes through the medium of a lever or levers, and to thus arrest its own motion, the removal of the brake requiringthe constant attention of an operator, any inattention on the part of whom can only result in the reappl yin g of the brake and the stopping of all movement. One of the simplest methods of carryin g out my invention is illustrated in the sectional View, Fig. 1, of the accompanying drawing, where it will be observed that the draftrope X passes around a pulley, a, on the upper arm of a lever, A, thelower curved arm of which is arranged to brake or to force the draft-rope against the base-plate B, and to thus arrest its movement, when .the upper arm is caused to turn in the direction of the arrow by the weight of theload suspended from the end a; of the said draft rope. By depressing an arm or treadle, D, the operator can lift the brake and permit the movement of the rope, the rapidity of which movement is entirely under his control. Precisely the same principle is shown in the duplex apparatus illustrated in the perspective view, Fig. 2, and sectional elevation, Fig. 3, of the drawing, which I prefer for most purposes, and which I will now proceed to describe in detail.

To a base or platform, B, are secured a pedestal, E, and two standards, F F, which together support a frame, F; and in the said standards F turns a rock-shaft, Gr, having at its opposite ends levers A and A, provided at their extremities with anti-friction rollers a a,

for'the two draft-ropes X and X. The said. v draft-ropes are also passed around two tapering capstans, H and H, of equal diameter,

which are mounted upon and arrangedtoturn freely on the frame F, and are geared together,

as shown, so that their movements must be simultaneous and equal. From the capstan's the two draft -ropes pass over the top of the pedestal E, and between the same and a brakelever, J, having its fulcrum on the said pedestal or on the frame at b, and connected, by a link, K, to an arm, L, on the rock-shaft Gr, so that whatever movements are imparted to the levers A on the said rock-shaft must be transmitted to thebrake-lever. The pedestal has a recess, d, for the reception of the draft-ropes immediately beneath the operating end of the brake-lever, which has transverse projections, as shown, and the said draft-ropes are retained in position, and all possibility of their disengagement prevented, partly by the said brakelever and partly by the pedestal, which is pro-. vided for this purpose, with guiding-pulleys c 6, guides f f, and a separator, g. The brakelever is provided with a handle, h, by means of which it may be pushed back by the operator for the purpose of releasin gthe draft-ropes, but, for greater convenience, I prefer to usea treadle, D, secured, to the rock-shaft, by depressing which the same result may be attained.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The load, which may be a boat to be lowered from a ships side or a platform or other object to be raised or lowered, is suspended from the ends as w of the two draft-ropes X X, while the operator places his foot upon the treadleD and graspsthe opposite ends of the said ropes. The weight of the load will have a constant tendency to turn the levers A in the direction of the arrows, and thus, through the medium of the rock-shaft and its appliances, to turn the brake-lever J in the direction of its arrow, and

thus force it down upon and positively arrest all movement of the draft-ropes; and this can only be counteracted by a constant pressure upon the treadle D, which, being entirely under the control of the operator, enables him to wholly or partially release the ropes from the brake-lever, and thus regulate, as required, the rapidity of movement of the draft-ropes.

The geared capstans, besides acting in conjunction with the brake-lever to prevent too rapid or too sudden a movement of the draft- -ropes, are absolutely-necessary whentwo ropes are employed, as they insure an uniform and simultaneous movement of the same.

The apparatus may be attached to and move with the object to be raised or lowered as readily as to a permanent base, the operation of the several parts being in both cases precisely similar.

In some cases one of the lovers Aand draftropes and one of the caps'tans may be dispensed with without departing from my invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. A hoisting and lowering apparatus in which the weight of the load is caused to apply a brake to the draft rope or ropes, through the medium of a lever or levers, substantially as herein described.

2. In a hoisting and lowering apparatus, the combination, substantially as described, of a brake-lever, J, arranged to bear upon and stop the movement of a draft-rope or ropes, with a lever or levers, A, actuated by the said draftrope or ropes and transmitting movement through a rock-shaft, G, arm L, and link K to the said brake-lever.

3. The combination of the said brake-lever J with the pedestal E, its recess 61, guides f f, and separator 9, all substantially as specified.

4. The combination, substantially as described, of geared capstans H and H, of equal diameter, with the two draft-ropes X and X of a hoisting and lowering apparatus, for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, substantially as described, of the foot-lever D with the rock-shaft and its appliances and the brake-lever J.

6. A hoisting and lowering apparatus, in which are combined upon a suitable frame a rook-shaft, G, levers A A, arm L, link K, brakelever J, pedestal and guides E, and geared capstans H and H, all substantially as herein described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WALTER HART.

Witnesses WM. A. STEEL, HARRY SMITH. 

